


Karl's Sacrifice

by taupe66



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Confrontations, Doctor Who References, Dream is like a God, Emotional Hurt, Final Battle, Gen, God Complex, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Self-Sacrifice, The InBetween - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:55:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29841144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taupe66/pseuds/taupe66
Summary: When time-traveller Karl realises Dream(XD) has too much power, there's only one more thing he could do to attempt to save the SMP.A recreation of the Doctor Who's Speech to Akhaten, but it's Karl to Dream(XD). The final war of time, where Karl gives up everything. (READ STARTING NOTES)
Relationships: Clay | Dream & Karl Jacobs, Karl Jacobs & DreamXD
Comments: 4
Kudos: 34





	Karl's Sacrifice

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE READ!!!: This fic is lot more powerful when you're playing music or listening along to the Doctor's actual speech. If you're a fast reader/don't mind pausing the video, watch along with the original Speech to Akhaten. But, if you can't do that, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND listening along to Experience by Ludovico Einaudi. It really helps to set the vibe I was going for, and the fic is completely different without it.
> 
> Dream(XD)'s character design: https://www.instagram.com/p/CL8TwVhF0cc/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link  
> Doctor's Speech to Akhaten: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoVLhUxhdSw&t=168s  
> Experience by Ludovico Einaudi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VONMkKkdf4  
> Inspiration Animatic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLmEJ-1px5Q

"Ok then. Here's what I'll do."

Karl stepped forward, dainty fingers arising to the sides of the plush fabric, tugging on his hoodie until the pearlescent silk slipped down to rest by the nape of his neck. Flecks of light and glowing sparks trailed in between the seams of the garment, melting between the soft fibres.

"I will tell you a story."

He lifted his head, gaze softly falling upon the momentous creature in front of him. A beacon of light, a collection of need, a swirling pit of knowledge.

Fireflies swarmed around it's core, forming clusters and collections in shapes of ripples like waves of the ocean. Glimmering reflections emitting from every corner and crevice of it's being. Misty hazes of fog and vapour grouped in colossal bundles around the being, forming a vignette border of the outstanding deity.

"Can you hear them?" Karl spoke, extending his arm to his right, allowing the fingers on his hands to move steadily with the chilled breeze. They caressed the slightly humid air, pointing to the large crowd of SMP civilians way behind them, watching in fear in the distance. They hovered for a moment in the direction before dropping again to his side.

The gentle singing of choirs behind him, emitted a large projection of voices, creating a slightly eerie yet empowering ambience for the time traveller. The notes complimented the passion in his voice and amplified the confidence in which he spoke, harmonising his words gently as he delivered his message to the feared spirit.

"All these people who lived in terror of you and your judgement." He scowled, standing up from his seat, projecting his voice louder for the large demon to hear.

"All these people whose ancestors devoted themselves...sacrificed themselves to you."

A second passed, tense air chilling through the distance between them. Crackling white leaves danced in the breeze and moved slowly with the calm winds.

The spirit smiled down at Karl, luminous green glow swirling mystically around the dove white mask. Every deep crack and crevice that lay deep in its structure - a reminder of all the fights the giant had gone through. Every hit, every word, every time it was told that it was never good enough.

"Can you hear them singing?" He whispered, tilting his head to the right, peering deep into the crevasses of the demon's disguise, seeing the foggy haze emit from its corners. A cocky grin plastered itself across its mask.

Karl bowed his head, looking at the marbled, white brick that lay beneath his feet. Glimmering in its glory, his home, his haven. The only place that was never affected by his travels... until now. The Inbetween.  
He stepped forward, teetering moment by moment closer to the edge. His leather boots clacking against the surface, echoing his movements.

"Oh, so you like to think you're a god?"

Winds howled in his ears and clouds turned darker, forming a cluster of terror above its presence, beginning to litter drops of suffering down upon the castle walls, burning marks into its structure like acid.  
Karl gripped his diary tighter in his hands, finger pads pressing softly against the plush cover, tracing the indents on the front. The material, over time, had been damaged from the salty water at the Lost City Of Mizu, grazed by the bullets shot at the Wild West. Sand from the beaches were engrained within the spine of the book and splash marks of wine from the Masquerade Ball permanently stained the pages littered with memories.

A physical encapsulation of his memories. Millions and millions and millions of them.

"But you're not a god...you're just a parasite." He spat, bringing his book to rest between both palms, holding it carefully. He moved his stare from the tyrant in front of him, down to the grey-toned cover of the book, tracing his eyes over the swirled pattern carved onto the top of it.

"A parasite eaten out with jealousy and envy and longing for the lives of others."

His hair began to ruffle gently against his forehead as the anger of the being caused winds to pick up around him. Small droplets of acid pattered onto his skin, leaving marks and burns along the expanse of flesh. The sight of Karl wincing, feeding the tyrant even more. His fingertips curled around the edge of the cover and leisurely lifted the first page.

"You feed on them, on the memory of love..." He spoke, staring at the page he had opened to. Written there, was a lost love letter, crinkled and creased, that he had picked up from the library floor at Sir Billiam's mansion.  
Scribbled on the note, written in quill ink, was a message to some boy called Zak. It was a letter filled with heartfelt memories, confession and adoration. Admiration and endearment for someone. A letter which had never reached its destination.  
When Karl first read the paper, it formed a large feeling of empathy from him, to whoever it was from - signed with the name 'Darryl'.

"And loss..." The next page was flipped over. Another photo. Another memory.  
A letter paired with an image. The letter was an apology note, written from an acquaintance of Karls. It was a note addressed to a boy called 'Tommy'. The letter apologised for some kind of sin he had committed, the writer obviously not wanting to go too much into detail. Karl's eyes trailed to the image, an image of Tommy, Wilbur and Philza stood together by a beach on their family visit to Brighton.

"And birth..." The following page was plastered with a collage of pieces he had found in a hidden scrapbook during his long visit to the Lost City of Mizu. One of the items that stuck out to him, and made his heartbreak, was a doctor's report, a report of miscarriage. The patient's name reading 'F. Fox'.

"And death..." He then turned to another page, a picture of a gravestone. The stone by a tree, flowers littered around it and lanterns surrounding the memorial, lighting it up with a warm ambience in the dark night. The name of a loved one carved onto the sign above it, damaged and worn over time. The name carved was, 'Henry'.

"And joy..." On the next page, there wasn't a letter, or a picture or a note. This time there was 2 items taped at the edges. On the left page, a green music disc, and on the right, a purple and white music disc. Karl's shaking fingertips trailed over the rough vinyl patterns sculpted onto them, long long memories of the disc saga flowing back into his mind.

"And sorrow." The final page Karl turned to had 4 words simply written on it, scribbled in white pencil. Words that had come up time and time again in the history of this world. A name of a place so meaningful to the civilians, even the mention of it causes avalanches of emotions to come crashing down upon them. The words, 'L'Manburg my unfinished symphony'.

He looked up, craning his neck back to return his painfully focused stare on the creature. His eyes carving deep wounds into the flesh of the being. 

Book shutting in his hand, Karl took another step ahead, bringing his arms forward, presenting the book to galactic spirit. Winds around them picking up at the offer.

"So, come on, then. Take mine. Take my memories." Karl whispered, allowing the book to balance at the edge of his fingertips, watching intently as the being ushered ever so slightly closer in the sky. 

It was a sacrifice Karl needed to make. To save the people, to save the Inbetween.

"But I hope you've got a big appetite because I have lived a long life...and I've seen a few things."

"I walked away from the Last Great Time War."

The rain that once poured down on the civilians had now turned to fiery hot streaks of light, enraged by the anger and power the monster felt. Hot waves of energy blazed down on them. Firey swarms of sparks heading straight for Karl.

"I marked the passing of the Time Lords."

Karl's eyes squeezed shut, harsh winds causing burning impressions to be left across his skin. The aura of the monster became so intense, that even the choir in the background had begun to drown out.

"I saw the birth of the universe and I watched as time ran out. Moment by moment until nothing remained."

His eyes opened, wider than before, pupils dilated wide at the surge of emotions in his heart. His hair ruffled by his ears, ticking gently against the skin, swirling violently in the gusts of air. 

Tears brimmed at his waterline, pooling in his vision, causing the harsh flashes of light to refract into blurred symphonies falling down from the sky. They left tracing images of light, contrasting to the starry night sky. Comets and meteors began to crash down upon the castle.

"No time. No space." He whimpered, keeping his arms outstretched, keeping the book presented for the being, allowing it to come closer and closer until it's powerful forcefield of energy surrounding it broke down the bricks that made up the walls of his castle. It nearly became too much for Karl.

"Just ME!" He cried out, passionate tears trailing down his cheeks, thoughts and memories pulsing through his head, so hard he was almost reliving the scenarios. Pain and pleasure and sadness and fury all spilling out. Seeping over the edge and pouring onto the ground, leaving hot streaks of anguish.

"I walked in universes where the laws of physics were devised by the mind of a mad man!"

Droplets of water continued to trace down his cheek, trailing over freckles and speckles of colour in his skin. The shiny trails of water caressing the flushed pink cheeks, leaving permanent marks. Marks that would remain engraved upon the flesh until the end of time. The end of Karl's life.

"I've watched universes FREEZE and creations BURN!" He shouted, fingers uncontrollably shaking and teeth chattering together as the harsh temperatures that now surrounded him, caused him to quiver and feel lightweight on the ground he was standing on. He cried out as he felt the creatures unearthly energy seep into his soul. 

"I have seen things you wouldn't believe! I have lost things you will never understand!"

When he looked up, he saw how the smile that once plagued the monster's mask, had now transformed into a displeased expression. An expression which looked down upon Karl in disgust and jealousy and need for more and more and more. An infinite desire for power.

"And I know things. Secrets that must never be told, knowledge that must never be spoken."

The choirs once dimmed voices now shone through with power, they sang through the loud thunderstorms and torrential weather powerfully, uplifting Karl.  
They pierced through the rings of energy that pulsed down on the castle, they impaled through the swirling movements of fire sparks, they cut through the harsh winds and broke apart the strong power that had gone unbroken for far too long. 

A power that had taken over the SMP. A power that needed to be stopped.

"Knowledge that will make PARASITE GODS BLAZE!" He yelled, watching as the being came closer and closer to him, reaching for the book slowly with swirling beams of light, craving the memories that Karl had collected. It wanted to feed on the knowledge, it wanted infinitely more power. Selfishness overtaking it.

"So come on then!"

Karl called out, voice becoming hoarse at the intensity of the volume he had been screaming at. Throat grazing against the words.

"Take it! Take it all, baby!" Karl shouted above the deafening winds, hair waving in the draught and eyes fluttering at the sensation. A loud humming ringing through his ears as the parasite glided parallel to him, so close to the book, so close to the memories.

"HAVE IT!" Karl opened his arms wide, allowing for the light beams to penetrate through his ribs, to his heart. Screaming as the colossal giant overtook him, harvesting his power. Absorbing the knowledge from him. 

It sucked out every single memory, every single fact and every single experience Karl had been through. Feeding it's large appetite as it did so. Breaking Karl apart, ruining him, destroying him for one final time.

He fell to his knees in exhaustion, offering himself to the demon, keeping his arms open before shouting one final time.

"YOU HAVE IT ALL!!!"

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading. I understand if this fic doesn't get much attention as the Karl & Dream(XD) dynamic isn't too popular, but if you're reading this then... thank you!
> 
> It's up to you if you want to believe whether Karl actually died or the sacrifice ended up overpowering Dream(XD) and destroying him.
> 
> Feel free to leave a kudos if you enjoyed it and comment with feedback/constructive criticism too!
> 
> \- taupe


End file.
